The Avenger
by Noseferatu
Summary: Paol Ticcur is the only and most feared mouse warlord, when his crew betray him and he ends up in redwall abbey he experiences a change of hear, can Martin help him take his revenge on his treacherous vermine crew?
1. Betrayal

Paol Ticcur was the most famous warlord in the land. In one hand was his trusty falchion, Death Singer, in the other a long sword, Corpse Pulse. His eyes were blood red and his fur completely black. His armor was a blinding white, and his horde of vermin were all but friendly, constantly fighting with each other, Paol had to recruit new soldiers all the time. Yet the most surprising attribute about Paol besides his hawk steed, Liano, was that he was a mouse!

Paol stuck Death Singer into the ground. "We camp here, set camp up fast, we leave at the first sign of the moon. His army instantly began setting up tents and scouting for food, they did not want to get on Paol's bad side. A new ferret named Riptail looked at Paol. "Why do we hafta leave so early sir." There was an audible intake of breath from the crew. Paol spun around "Cause that's the best time to strike isn't it?" He lashed out with Corpse Pulse, and then with Death Singer, clipping both ears off, then he thrust both his swords through the middle and threw the body into the ocean.

"I trust we all know where we are heading at night?" He said to the group at large.

"To Brockhall." They shouted.

"That's right and why are we going there?"

"To find the Gem of Ages!"

"And if it isn't there?"

"We kill everything around!"

Paol let out a malevolent roar of laughter.

"That's right."

He spotted a bird; he slowly picked up a rock and threw it straight at the bird. The seagull fell, he went over and picked it up.

"Today we feast!"

The army cheered. This meant that the general was going to cook, and he cooked well.

They opened a barrel of a strong alcoholic wine and brought it to Paol who was roasting the seagull. He dipped a paw in the wine and sucked on it.

"This is good, take a tankard to everyone, and leave the rest for the centerpiece."

Everyone had to contribute to the feast in some way. Some were making a simple salad, while the others made sauces. The preparation was done everyone seated themselves on the ground, the food, on the plates. Paol raised his tankard.

"To destruction!"

"To destruction!" they echoed, holding up there tankards.

"To treasure!" Paol said louder raising his tankard higher.

"To treasure!" The said mimicking the chief

"To the army!" He roared and quaffed his drink

"To the army!" They roared and all quaffed their drinks and began to eat.

Yuke the murderer was in a bad mood. His crew was slain in a battle with another, one with a captain called Paol or something. Aye that was it, Paol Ticcur. He sat alone on his ship, "the Painbringer" brooding on what had happened to him. He slowly came up with a plan, to gain himself a crew and discredit Paol. He chuckled evilly and jumped of his ship onto land. Paol will rue the day he met Yuke the Murderer!

Abbot Kermil walked into the kitchens and looked around, Friar Polkiw was stirring a brown substance. The Abbot quickly strode forward and sipped it from a spoon he kept in his pocket. "My that must be the best gravy I have ever tasted." The friar biffed the abbot over the head, leaving the hedgehog to rub his head.

"What was that for?" he grumbled

"When was the last time you washed that thing!" She cried, inspecting the spoon that now lay on the floor.

"Ummm..." He stuttered.

Friar Polkiw dished him another wack on the head,

"For all I know my gravy could be diseased, is this how an Abbot is suppose to act?" She screamed

The abbot stumbled out of the kitchen, "Such a violent cook." He mumbled.

"I know what you mean mate." Came a voice from the right of the abbot's vision. He turned and saw his good friend, the Skipper of Otters who was nursing a bruise on top of his head. He sat down beside the otter and stared up at the sky, it was cloudy with no visible sign of the sun.

"Looks like we'll have to cancel our dinner in the orchard."

"That it does," Said the Skipper looking up at the sky "But who will round up the dibbuns?"

"We'll leave that to leave that to the badgermum."

They got the message to Meriam as soon as possible so the dibbuns didn't stay out in the rain. She walked out and began scooping up the little ones in her great arms they squealed loudly as she said, "Come inside dinner in the orchard is canceled." The dibbuns' disappointment was expressed through louder protests.

"Oi don't wanter go inta the dormitry." Said a molebabe as she struggled to get out of the badgermum's powerful grip.

"That's too bad for you." She grumbled and carried them all into the dormitory to await the dinner.

Paol was satiated with the feast and was resting in his tent while Yuke went about with his plan and planted a seed of worry in the mind of one named Pontik. Pontik was an extremely paranoid rat and woke everyone else to explain his worries. The seed grew and into a thorn bush. Yuke made his appearance while Paol was asleep.

"He will betray you someday you know." He said gruffly to the group at large.

"One day he will lead each and everyone of you to Hellsgates and laugh."

They were silent staring in horror.

"I won't however, you can all trust me, I can give you more plunder than you can imagine, and I can make all your dreams come true."

"How will you do that?" asked a ferret.

"By attacking the abbey of Redwall, rumor says, there is treasure for the picking inside, and a magic sword."

"That's a good idea, we should go." Whispered a rat

"But how, Paol wants the Gem of Ages." Said a ferret

Yuke jumped down and clapped an arm around the ferret.

"That's why we commit mutiny, there is only one of him and a horde of us!"

So they crept up upon Paol weapons at the ready when his hawk screeched from above and Paol jumped up, blades in hand and slew the nearest rat.

"See?1 he will soon betray each and everyone of you." Screeched Yuke, and the army advanced.

Paol was completely bewildered but he knew he was definitely in danger and began to cut and slash at the coming vermin until a stone hit him in the back of his head and he fell unconscious. When he woke he was severely wounded and could barely move. He signaled for his hawk which flew down picked him up and flew him to Redwall Abbey.

The abbot was just strolling through the orchard when an evil looking hawk carrying a black mouse holding two swords arrived. It screeched loudly. The abbot fetched the healer when she arrived she shrieked.

"Abbot we cannot tend to such evil!" she said shuddering as her eyes traveled across his two swords, "It is Paol Ticcur, the most evil warlord in all the lands, all this points to that, and the only thing that's missing is his armor!"

The abbot looked at the healer frowningly, "It is the duty of Redwall to treat hurt creatures whether good or evil, have you already forgotten?"

The healer shook her head "Yes, yes I know its just I don't feel safe."

The abbot shook his head, "I'm sure he will not harm us."

"How do you know Father Abbot?"

"It's just a feeling."

Paol woke up and in a bed and jumped of quickly and winced, he noticed bandages. The last thing he remembered was signaling for his hawk. He scrambled around looking for Death Singer and Corpse Pulse. He did not see them. He stormed out of the building to blazing sun. He squinted as his eyes adjusted. He looked around it was raining and he was inside four great stonewalls, the walls of Redwall Abbey.

"Your awake I see." Came a voice. Paol swung around ready to kill to face a kindly hedgehog. "No need to look so surprised, you are in good hands, there will be dinner in the building across from this one." Paol relaxed, seeing he was among friendly creatures. "Where are my swords?" The hedgehog turned, "In the cellar, the dibbuns would have been in danger of hurting themselves if we left them any where else."

"What about Liano, my hawk."

"I think he is in the kitchens."

Paol put on the habit lying by his bed and walked to the kitchens, intent on seeing what they were cooking.

Friar Polkiw applied her gravy to the onion pasty when Paol walked in. He walked over to the pasties and stared at them admiring how well the gravy was done. The friar raised her ladle to apply him a bump over the head but as the ladle went down Paol grabbed it out of reflex and thwacked the paw sending the ladle spinning out of the stunned Friar's hand, "Sorry," he apologized as he fetched the ladle, "Force of habit." He said returning it to the cook and walking out. "There's one who you won't be able to hurt for sampling your cooking." Said the abbot and winced instantly as the ladle collided with the top of his head.

Paol felt happy for the first time in his life, real happy, not the kind of happy when you caught in the feeling of adrenaline and in the fray, but really happy. He watched dibbuns run around, chasing each other, perhaps I can get used to this new life he thought. He walked about until he came across the tapestry of Martin the Warrior and stared at the bravery and determination depicted on the tapestry, then his eyes fell upon the Sword of Martin the Warrior. It glistened in the light and seemed to ask him to take it. He resisted the urge and walked away then a strong voice reached his ears,

_Take the sword and defend the Abbey from the one who nearly took your life. Assume a new name and smite them, along with another who will come from the west._

He turned around swiftly and looked for the who spoke these words but saw no one.


	2. A change of Heart

Paol strode to the Great Hall where dinner was taking place. Dibbuns were jumping around and the food was being put on the table. He looked at the assorted drinks and pasties, pies and wine and finally the magnificent trifle that was set in the middle of the table. He felt the saliva gather in his mouth and he hastily wiped it off as it began to drip off his chin. He sat himself down in a chair. He looked up and saw everyone with his or her heads bowed and hastily bowed his own, as the prayer ended every one dived for food. A squirrel winked as he looked at her plate loaded with food. "You got to be quick in Redwall." She said winking. Paol caught on and lunged forward and seized a plate and began piling food on his plate.

Paol ate with gusto and when he was done he leaned back and wiped an assortment of gravies, sauces and drinks from his lips. The Abbot stood up again "I hope you will all join me in greeting our new fellow Redwaller, uh…" Paol stood up and spoke his new name "Nerae Tveg." The Abbot smiled and said "Nerae to our crimson abode." Every one cheered except the healer who was looking at him with certain suspicion. He swished his tail from side to side and walked back to the Tapestry of Martin the Warrior. He sat down and looked at the sword again, "You know they say it was carved from the metal of a fallen star."

Nerae spun around and saw the squirrel and relaxed

" Ah, hello, um I believe I did not catch your name."

"It's April." She said walking towards him. " I know who you really are, Paol Ticcur."

"It seems my fame has stretched wider than I know."

"Well, know that if you are going to steal that sword you'll have to get through me first." She growled whipping out several knives hidden in the folds of her tunic.

Nerae tapped his chin pensively. Then he ran. April followed him, struggling to keep up. He jumped down the stairs to the Cellar. There he snatched up his twin swords, Corpse pulse and Death Singer. He attacked April expertly threw five knives that all hit his falchion and cracked his sword in half. He tossed it aside and put his hand behind his back and put Death Singer out. The sword had lines in running down the middle, which caused it to produce a whistling sound when thrust. He shot forward and dodged the knives. April took out her final weapon, a dirk with a sapphire set in the pommel. They fought, metal shrieked and clanged as they deflected and countered. Nerae suddenly twirled and hit her paw with the flat side of the long sword, causing April to release the dirk in pain, and then he shot up putting his customized blade to her throat. "I have no intention of stealing your sword." He said and sheathed his sword.

He stepped outside and walked to the orchard, wanting to sample some fruit to find the whole abbey waiting. The abbot walked out, perhaps you would like to join our little talent shoe, he said smiling. Over the abbot's shoulder he saw a mole doing a fancy looking hop-skip. Nerae smiled "Okay, but I will need some purple grapes and a green grape." The abbot picked some and gave them to Nerae. He plucked them all and put them in a small basket. He took stage and addressed the crowd, "I will strike the falling green grape the falling grapes but I will not puncture it." He tossed the bucket up and waited, his eyes locked on to the green grape and his sword instinctively shot forward and hit the grape with the point of his sword, and then maneuvering his sword in complicated motions he stood up with the green grape perfectly balanced on tope of his sword blade. There was wild applause as Nerae took a seat on the soft grass and watched.

The squirrelmaid April took the stage, "I can hit anything you want me to." Nerae smiled, "I want you to hit this grape." He said, the grape was still balanced on the tip of his sword and he threw it high into the air, the knife was there to meet it instantly and it cut the grape cleanly in half.

Afterwards they watched in amusement as the dibbuns took their turn, they danced, preformed gymnastics, and sang. It was a happy occasion and Nerae felt that he was finally complete. He woke up the next day and found that Death Singer was not by his side, he looked for it, but it was a sword that was pretty hard to miss. He searched everywhere but found nothing, he then saw April sneaking down the stairs with the sword glinting over her shoulder. He walked slowly towards her but she spun around and a knife caught him in his shoulder he fell and noticed that the handle was not the type of knife April used (He notices these things just incase they come in handy) He looked up and charged as he ripped the knife from his shoulder.

The culprit was one of his old crewmembers and he struck, the ferret brought Death Singer up but it was too heavy for him. Nerae struck him five times, once in each shoulder and three times in the heart, the villain fell over dead, blood started seeping form his wounds. Nerae took Death Singer and began to spin it, which produced a whistling sound, the Abbot, April and the Skipper came running up to see the source of the noise. They saw the ferret and looked a Nerae. He looked back and asked, "Is there any way into this abbey besides the main gate and the back door?" The Abbot looked at Skipper "Not that I know of." He replied uncertainly. Nerae paused to think and ran forward to the tapestry. He skidded to a halt in front of the Tapestry, the sword was gone he rushed up the ramparts and jumped down from the top of the wall he landed on the grounds with a crash and looked around, no one could be seen.

Then he spotted a broken twig and began running full out and followed the trail. He was faster then any rat, ferret, stoat, weasel, or fox in his crew and h soon caught up, he saw a familiar tail swish around a tree. He put on a burst of speed shooting him forward, he twirled and the whistling told the fox who stole the sword that he was already dead, when Paol Ticcur's sword went that fast, you can not dodge it. The fox's head went flying through the air and blood shot from the stump of his neck as his body fell forward, the dirt path was covered in blood and Nerae picked up the package and opened it to find nothing in the case. He had been tricked and he was not going to let the vermin who stole the sword take the treasure of his new home live.


	3. To Salamandastron

**A/N: I switched the names of the two swords and there will be no riddle since I'm not good at that kind of thing please review I need encouragement!**

Blindstripe stood in his forge and began pounding away at a piece of metal. He then slowly put it in water where it began to hiss and he took it out and attached it to the huge oak trunk. He then began wrapping leather, forming handles. The hand sledge was down he hefted it on hi shoulders it was as tall as he was and just as tough. He walked to the bell on top of Salamandastron and, with a huge sideswipe, hit the bell with a resounding boom. The sound that echoed out made the trees cringe and the waves dissipate in fear. Blindstripe's milky white eyes hovered over the sight. He could see in a sense. He walked down the stairs with the sledge on his shoulders. He looked out at see. "Yuke where are you?" he rumbled aloud "I am waiting for you to show your cowardly face and when that time comes I will pound you straight through Hellsgates."

Nerae had lost the trail. He began to search around on all fours looking for the slightest trail that may lead to where Yuke had gone. Nothing at showed itself. Nerae cursed and the once more as he saw April running after him knives at the ready. Nerae didn't have time to deal with April. He kept running and thought about his situation. Yuke was a sea rat. He had scuttled his ship, and a sea rat's ship is like his soul. Yuke was also not very kind. Nerae skidded to a halt and ran the opposite direction right pass April who skidded to a halt and ran after him. Nerae suddenly remembered something, why was he running when he had a pet hawk? He whistled and Liano soared down and he jumped nimbly on without losing momentum. She soared up high " West Liano and make haste!" She instantly sped up and swerved slightly pointing herself west. Death Singer was gripped tightly by his side and they shot forward like a bolt from a crossbow. Then he heard a grunt, April climbed up upon Liano.

"I did not steal your blasted sword!"

"And I should believe that why?" she snapped back.

"If you haven't noticed this is a one person hawk so budge off!" Nerae yelled noticing that Liano was slowing down he tripped April off the bird with a swish of his foot.

"Quickly now Liano if you get there fast you shall get your reward." Nerae said and swung his sword up high above emitting a screeching wail.

Furtip run hurriedly between the lumber pile and the ship, they had been working on Yuke's ship for days now. Yuke's new weapon had made him even more formidable he had also donned Paol's white armor. They worked tirelessly but the ship was only half done. They only day things had changed were when a rat saw a hare but it was long gone before anyone could do anything about. He wished he had never betrayed Paol Ticcur. Life in his army was a lot nicer than spending all their time rebuilding the ship. And then there was the matter of going around Redwall. Many questioned Yuke why he wanted to storm Redwall if he already had the magical sword and they all died rumors were that Yuke wanted to become king of Mossflower. Not many believed this tale since they had been building a ship for the past several days.

The truth was Yuke wanted Redwall for a single reason. It would be the perfect way to invade Salamandastron. He could take refuge in Redwall and muster all the vermin he could then attack Salamandastron where Blindstripe was undoubtedly watching the ocean. Then he would become Lord of the Coast.

Quickpaw bounded up to see Blindstripe. He knocked on the door.

"State your business Quickpaw."

He faltered for a bit in surprise that Blindstripe already knew it was he.

"Seventh Runner reporting Sah, stumbled upon Yuke, his army is different, look more bally well like land vermin then anything rebuilding his ship Sea splitter!"

He stood smartly at attention and winced as the door slammed open sending a ringing through the whole mountain.

"Someone got to him before me!"

"No Sah, he was still fine and dandy."

Blindstripe calmed a bit.

"Where was he?

"Close to the Coneslinger's Forest Sah!"

"I will wait till he comes to me and conserve my energy."

Quickpaw left the room and quickly ran to the galley.

Nerae landed in the camp where his army was still hard at work making the boat. He did nothing but slowly crept among them until he heard a strangled yell. He turned around to see April being pinioned to the ground. Nerae growled in annoyance now he would have to awaken everyone. He shot forward his sword whistled through the air alerting everyone that he was there. He had to work quickly he decapitated the fox threatening the squirrel picked her up and ran like a madman, shooting through the forest.

"Yaaaargh!"

Nerae dropped April as she plunged her knife into his hand.

"Why am I even saving you?" Nerae yelled and whistled. He was nearly invisible in the dark unlike April who scampered up a tree. He whistled but not before Yuke had spotted him. Yuke dashed forward with his hand-and-a-half sword and slashed Nerae shot his sword up allowing the blade to slide through one of the slits in the custom blade. He then slashed down swinging Yuke's blade tip into the ground. Nerae eyed the metal for a second before grasping onto Liano's legs and shooting upward into the dark night sky.

Nerae climbed on top of Liano. She screeched.

"Yes I know Liano that sword blade is made of something I have never seen, and it has been made with the skill of a badger lord. I need one with matching ability. To Salamandastron!"

April cursed she would have to report back to the Healer and get punished. Her stupid mom was convinced that Nerae was all evil and no good. She slightly believed it as well either that or he was very determined. She stood up to find a knife at her throat. Her hand went straight into the beast's stomach. He fell April turned to see a dirty ferret. April sprinkled him with all his knives. The ferret was not even recognizable with so many knives in his body. April felt better having released her anger. She threw all her knives, the ones in her sleeves, habit, and her battle knife. If needed she could turn the tunic inside out to form a spiky armor.

In Redwall April's mother Tula was telling every Redwaller that Nerae was evil and had stole the sword though not many believed her. Abbot Kermil was very angry with her and asked her kindly to stop but she just glared at him and began insulting him calling him irresponsible. The kindly Father Abbot could take no more.

"Shut up, " the abbot roared in the healer's face "you're always blaming Nerae for everything that has happened has it ever occurred to you that it might not have been him? That it might have been some other vermin? STOP YOUR INASESINT BLAMING AND SHUT UP!"

The healer was left standing staring at the Abbot as he walked away fuming. He had complete faith in Nerae and Tula was getting really annoying.

Nerae dropped down off Liano landing in front of the main gate to Salamandastron. The hare guards thought he was a rat and attacked. With a shriek of metal and a shrill whistling he disarmed and cut the hares' spears in half.

"I must speak with the Badger Lord."

"No! We will never let a bally rat into Salamandastron you cad!"

They produced swords and shot forward, their powerful legs launching them speedily into battle. Nerae danced out of the way and with several whacks with the side of his blade he disarmed the hares again.

"I am no rat barely a mouse with black fur."

"We can not be sure of that!"

They struck fighting stances and flew in punching and kicking. Nerae threw aside his sword. If he impulsively decapitated one of the hares, his revenge was lost. He tripped one hare and swung his fist at the other, catching her on her cheek.

While they were getting up Nerae tied his hands behind his back with his tail.

"There I can't attack will you let me in now?"

The hares debated on this and then nodded.

"Can you bring my sword?"

One of them picked up Death Singer. And he was led in.

They reached the door and the female hare knocked

"State you business Mayflower."

"A rat wants to see you sah he has been disarmed and tied his hands together with his tail himself sah."

"A rat do something like that? Lead him in."

Nerae felt instantaneously dwarfed everything about this badger was enormous.

"Rat?" he said calmly "this is obviously a mouse."

The hare named Mayflower looked at Nerae and back and the badger

"Are you sure?"

"Look at him he is tall for a mouse surely but his tail is shorter and have you ever known a rat to act like that? Leave us."

The hares saluted and left.

"State your business Paol Ticcur." Blindstripe said closing the door


	4. Avenged

**A/N: ARG My story has progressed to far for it to fit Martin's original two sentences; I'll have to be more careful next time. It will be changed to "your sword" instead of the original "the sword" sorry about this confusion.**

Nerae stumbled backwards. This badger knew his name and would then undoubtedly know his reputation. He cleared his throat nervously hoping the badger would believe him. He quickly told his tale in a fast voice that got increasingly faster. The badger ruminated and finally gave his verdict.

"Well I believe you, I have never met a dishonorable mouse, it is like an oxymoron that phrase." He said scratching his head, "But to forge a sword that has the power of the Sword of Martin the Warrior will be quite hard, I only have a small amount of such metal."

"I could get some for you." Nerae said hopefully.

Blindstripe shook his head

"Where could you find metal like that, unless…"

Blindstripe walked to a portrait of his kinsman and removed it unveiling a niche where a blue metal was kept.

"This metal is very rare and nearly as hard as the mineral used in the Sword of Martin the Warrior."

He reached out for Death Singer and Nerae handed it to him. Blindstripe looked at the sword with curiosity.

"It will be done in a week, in the meantime you may stay at Salamandastron."

Nerae bowed himself out. "Thank you milord."

Nerae walked around the town this was his third day here. He enjoyed his time here. He had a lot of training time. He could constantly be found whacking away at a dummy with a heavy wooden pole that supposedly simulated an enormous claymore. Hares also constantly thought a rat had gotten into the mountain and fought him. Only when he had flung him or her to the ground could he talk to him or her and assure them he was no rat.

He had great pleasure in participating in the daily eating contests. Granted he always lost but he loved to watch the hares eat. Managing to eat enormous amounts yet still keeping good manners was a skill Nerae definitely needed to aquire in his new home at Redwall considering he always shoveled down at least three servings each meal in the few days he had resided there.

On the seventh day he was summoned to the Badger Lord's room. He was presented with a magnificent sword. It was shining bright as ever with a completely new blue blade. Its hilt and cross guard had been refitted as well and wrapped with fresh black leather. Nerae was speechless as he was handed a hilt that was black matching the hilt. He strapped it on and slid his new sword, which he dubbed Frost Wail.

He thanked the Badger Lord and walked out of the great mountain, he would miss it. Then April dropped on him, throwing knives. Coincidentally Nerae had been expecting this and brought Frost Wail out and it whistled forward cutting through the knives like paper. He marveled at its strength as he sheathed it and picked up April. He whistled and Liano flew over. After brief orders Liano carried April back over the horizon.

Yuke was happy. Sea Splitter had been remade. With his new sword he strutted around laughing uproariously. But inwardly he was seething. The army that he had come in with had diminished greatly. Half of the army had died from over exertion. He boarded Sea Splitter ordering everyone aboard and they set sail. South they went down the river that went right past Redwall. Soon Yuke thought, soon.

April was struggling furiously, in disbelief and in fury. Half of her store of knives had been but in half. She had managed to salvage the pieced before Liano lifted her. Realizing struggling was futile she relaxed and waited for her fate. She was quite surprised when she landed in Redwall. She quickly ran to her small private forge and remade her knives. Soon she would have her whole arsenal back but it would take ages to track Paol again. She would just focus on defending Redwall if it would ever need defending.

Nerae slid into the camp where Yuke had been a week ago. He cursed to find they had moved by sea. Seeing the forest he headed toward it seeking to ask its inhabitants if they had seen where they had gone. He leaped back in surprise as a green pinecone struck right into the dirt in front of him. If he had not dodged, it would have hit him in the forehead, possibly killing him. These archers were more deadly and accurate than ten Aprils. Nerae raised his hands as a sign of peace. He knew where every one of the squirrels were so he eyed then closely incase a cone should fly out seeking his life. A squirrel jumped down from the trees and walked towards Nerae twirling his sling.

"State your business rat."

"I am not a rat!" Nerae exclaimed going slightly insane, "see how short my tail is! Look at it!" he said shaking his tail in front of the bewildered squirrel's face. Nerae stopped and punched himself.

"Sorry, that has happened to me a lot."

"I can tell." Said the squirrel taking a step back

"I was just asking if you saw a ship and where it sailed."

"Aye I saw one, it sailed down the border line, I believe Paol Ticcur was aboard the ship, funny how he doesn't have that other sword though."

"That is indeed quite odd." Nerae replied.

He felt it better not to reveal his true identity to these cone-slinging squirrels, it may be the last thing he did. He counted forty of squirrels, all with slings and cones at ready.

"That is quite an impressive squadron up there, is it a custom here to greet strangers with two score of squirrels?"

"You can never be too careful," He responded, masking his surprise quickly "how did you know I had two score of Coneslingers in the forest?"

"Mayhap you did not notice but your slings do not exactly match the trees and neither does your fur. I suggest hiding closer to the trunk and spying and only walking out of the shade of the trees to fire."

"That's a good idea, I'll think about it."

Nerae waved good-bye and hurried down the bank. Then suddenly Martin's sentence rose again from the depths of Nerae's mind.

_Take your sword and defend the Abbey from the one who nearly took your life. Assume a new name and smite them, along with another who will come from the west._

Everything then instantaneously dovetailed together for him. He needed to enlist the help of Blindstripe and his hares to defeat Yuke and his army from invading Redwall. Fear swelled up with in Nerae. He had to get help fast, who knows how much more quickly Yuke would get to Redwall. Nerae picked up his sword and began to twirl it faster and faster. The piercing screech would be heard for miles around. His sword gained speed shrieking ever louder and louder until an answering shriek answered him. Liano came swooping down. Nerae mounted and commanded.

"To Salamandastron! Make haste an understatement. Go!"

Liano screeched and shot off faster than any mouse, any arrow. Nerae was leaning down and grasping the head of the saddle tightly despite the wind pounding away at his face his eyes were open. Determination showed in them and when he landed at the door step of Salamandastron he shot straight past the guard straight past the townsfolk, straight to Blindstripe.

When the door slammed open he found a hot metal poker right in front of his left eye. Frost Wail came shrieking out as soon as his eyes locked on to the red point, cutting it clean off.

"Nerae, you frightened me." Blindstripe said.

"No time Redwall is in trouble!" Nerae spouted

"In trouble what do you me-" Blindstripe began

"No time Yuke is heading there by boat around the back we need to get there NOW!" Nerae said so quickly that all the words seemed to be stringed together.

He stopped and looked dazed momentarily and punched himself in the face.

"Sorry," He said in a considerably slower voice "Yuke and my ex-army are sailing behind Redwall to launch a sneak attack and we need to help!"

Blindstripe jumped up and quickly put on armor and hefted his hand sledge. He ran out with extreme agility and assembled a thousand or so hares in a blink of an eye and was off. Nerae blinked and rushed to join them. They marched for a day without end. Nerae's adrenaline was still pumping. He saw the hares drinking a brown substance.

"It's called coffee," Blindstripe said, "it is extremely bitter but keeps you awake, I found it on a vermin ship some while back"

"I would like to sample some."

Blindstripe handed him a cup. Nerae drank deeply, the bitterness was overwhelming and he had to struggle to swallow it. He instantly felt energized. He continued walking and when they reached Redwall and he saw his former army.

April was in a dire situation. She was the only one who could fend them off. She slowly picked them off one by one but she knew she would run out of knives before she couldn't make even a minor dent in the vast horde. She slung knives with extreme speed hoping to kill off the ones closest in an attempt to prolong the inevitable.

Nerae's eyes locked on to Yuke and, lifting his arms, screamed "EULALIA!" and rushed forward. The whole army turned and gasped in disbelief as they saw their former leader rushing in to seek vengeance, flanked by Salamandastron hares and a giant badger.

"Attack the hares, attack them!" Yuke screeched and his army advanced. Nerae and Blindstripe were easily clearing the frontline. Every hit from Blindstripe's hand sledge killed ten vermin. Several times entrails got sent into comrades as the force of the blow knocked a hole straight through the enemy. Nerae sword sung death with every movement. Whether the sword found head for gut it did not matter, what the sword was really looking for was Yuke.

Yuke saw his determination and, being at the back of the army, skirted around the abbey quite easily. Suddenly a knife appeared in his foot paw and he screamed and looked up to see a squirrel aiming with another knife.

Nerae looked for Yuke as his sword sunk into another body but did not see him. He shot through the ranks of vermin to the back of the army in search of Yuke. He cursed and ran around the abbey to find Yuke standing, deflecting knives from April. He rushed forward. Frost Wail shrieked a dirge as it rushed for Yuke. Nerae pushed as Yuke brought the strike into a sword lock. Nerae was easily winning. Yuke broke the lock and dived forward. Sidestepping he stabbed down with all his might, piercing Yuke right through the middle of the spine.

With his foot paw he pushed the body off his sword and picked up the Sword of Martin the Warrior. He flipped it up and caught it. He marveled at the sword for a second but then rushed back into the fray to finish the job and with two swords Nerae was in his element and destroyed his former army in a matter of minutes.

When the threat against Redwall had been shattered. Nerae was dubbed Warrior of Redwall.


End file.
